Jump to content

Draft:CF Montréal–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CF Montréal–Vancouver Whitecaps FC rivalry
2009 USL–1 Finals between Vancouver and Montreal
Other namesMontreal Impact–Vancouver 86ers rivalry (1993–1999)
Montreal Impact–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry (2000–2020)
LocationCanada
First meetingMTL 0–2 VAN
APSL (5/30/1993)
Latest meetingMTL 1–1 VAN
MLS (7/06/2024)
StadiumsMTL: Saputo Stadium
VAN: BC Place
Statistics
Meetings total79
Most winsMontreal (34)
All-time seriesMontreal 34–27–18
Largest victory
  • VAN 5–0 MTL
    MLS (4/01/2023)
Largest goal scoring
Longest win streakMontreal (5)
Jun 7–Oct 17, 2009
Longest unbeaten streakMontreal (11)
Jul 17, 2002–Sep 22, 2006
Current win streakN/A
Postseason history

The CF Montréal–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry is a rivalry which has existed between the various incarnations of professional soccer teams from Vancouver, British Columbia and Montreal, Quebec which can trace their roots all the way back to the original Canadian Soccer League. The rivalry became more intense when both teams competed in the American Professional Soccer League, where they, alongside the Toronto Blizzard, were the only Canadian clubs in the league. The rivalry also intensified in 2002 when the Voyageurs Cup was established, which brought higher stakes in league fixtures between the two clubs.

Teams

[edit]
Montreal Vancouver
Incarnation Name(s) Incarnation Name(s)
APSL/USL (1992–2011) Montreal Impact APSL/USL (1986–2010) Vancouver 86ers
Vancouver Whitecaps (2001)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2003)
MLS (2012–) Montreal Impact MLS (2011–) Vancouver Whitecaps FC
CF Montréal (2021)

History

[edit]

CF Montréal and Vancouver Whitecaps FC have a long competitive history which started in 1993 when the clubs' lower league variants: the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver 86ers met for the first time in the American Professional Soccer League. The Vancouver 86ers had joined the league following the dissolution of the original Canadian Soccer League. The Montreal Impact were formed in 1992 after Joey Saputo, a Montreal businessman, purchased the assets of the Canadian Soccer League side: Montreal Supra, and founded a new soccer club to play in the 1993 American Professional Soccer League season. The Montreal Supra and Vancouver 86ers did meet several times in the Canadian Soccer League, and there was no notable rivalry between them at first, as Vancouver was a much more prominent team which eliminated the potential for a competitive rivalry, and there was no intra-Canadian animosity in an exclusively Canadian league. However this would change in 1992 when the Vancouver head coach Bob Lenarduzzi took the Canada men's national team job. This coincided with Supra players being dropped from the national team in favour of 86ers players who previous played under Leonarduzzi. This hatred towards Vancouver would carry over into the 1993 Montreal Impact team, as many of the former Supra players and staff would find positions within the new APSL club.[1]

The first playoff meeting between Montreal and Vancouver happened in 2006 in the 2006 USL First Division semi-finals. After a goalless draw in the first leg in Vancouver and a goalless 90 minutes back in Montreal, former Montreal Impact player Eduardo Sebrango finally put Vancouver in the lead with 5 minutes to go in extra time. Sebrango was then sent off (second booking) a moment later for an excessive goal celebration. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Vancouver scored again in the final minute to win 2–0 on aggregate.[2]

In 2008, Montreal and Vancouver would compete in the newly established Canadian Championship alongside Toronto FC for a place in the CONCACAF Champions League. Montreal would defeat Vancouver in both legs, and despite not being able to win a match against Toronto, were able to win the championship on total points.[3] Both teams would also meet that season in the USL–1 playoffs. In the first leg, Vancouver's goalkeeper Jay Nolly was sent-off for a professional foul, however the Whitecaps persevered and held Montreal to a 1–0 defeat. With full strength back in Vancouver, the Whitecaps would score two first-half goals and advance to the final, where they would win their second USL playoff title.

The Southsiders, a Whitecaps supporters group, with a Je me souviens banner referencing the events of June 18, 2009.

The 2009 season was a focal point of the rivalry, including several key placing matches and controversial coaching decisions. In that year's Canadian Championship, Vancouver would win three of their four matches, including two victories over the Impact. With Vancouver leading the round-robin table by three points, and a +4 goal differential, Montreal would go on to lose their last match against Toronto by a score of 1–6, allowing Toronto FC to clinch the title. The popular theory among fans of the Vancouver Whitecaps was that Montreal had deliberately thrown the match to eliminate Vancouver. This theory wasn't entirely baseless, as the Impact, who were already mathematically eliminated, had rested key players in their final match, which also came to their advantage when Montreal utilized those fresh players in the league to defeat the Whitecaps two days later.[4] The decision to rest those players also angered the supporters of Montreal, who believed that gaining the league advantage was not worth embarrassing themselves against their arch rivals, and was generally unsporting. The Montreal Ultras protested the coaching decision by not attending the first-half of the match against Vancouver on June 20th. Montreal and Vancouver would only place 5th and 7th in the standings, but both made deep playoff runs to meet in the final for the USL–1 championship. In the two-legged final series, Montreal would win both games in a 6–3 aggregate victory, leaving the Whitecaps trophy-less for the second time that season.

Montreal's first match in the MLS was against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC (mirroring Vancouver's first MLS match against Canadian opposition Toronto FC) in an attempt to instigate a Canadian rivalry in the MLS era. Vancouver won the match 2–0.[5]

Since both teams joined Major League Soccer, there have been less notable league and playoff fixtures as they played in different conferences, however they would still meet several times in the Canadian Championship, including the 2013 and 2015 Canadian Championship Finals.

On 1 April 2023, Vancouver defeated Montreal by a score of 5–0 in the Major League Soccer regular season, which broke the record for the largest margin of victory between the two sides. Later that season, Vancouver and Montreal would also contest the 2023 Canadian Championship final, with Vancouver winning by a score of 2–1.[6]

Results

[edit]

APSL/USL era

[edit]
Voyageurs Cup Match
Season Competition Date Home team Result Away team Venue Series
1993 American Professional Soccer League May 30, 1993 Montreal Impact 0–2 Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard VAN: 1–0–0
Jul 1, 1993 Vancouver 86ers
0–2
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium Tied: 1–1–0
Jul 30, 1993 Vancouver 86ers 2–1 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium VAN: 2–1–0
Aug 15, 1993 Montreal Impact 0–0[a] Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard VAN: 2–1–1
1994 American Professional Soccer League Aug 14, 1994 Montreal Impact
4–1
Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard Tied: 2–2–1
Sep 14, 1994 Vancouver 86ers 2–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium VAN: 3–2–1
1995 A-League May 26, 1995 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard Tied: 3–3–1
Jun 18, 1995 Vancouver 86ers 3–1 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium VAN: 4–3–1
Jul 12, 1995 Vancouver 86ers
0–1
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium Tied: 4–4–1
Aug 9, 1995 Montreal Impact 2–3 Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard VAN: 5–4–1
Aug 16, 1995 Vancouver 86ers
0–1
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium Tied: 5–5–1
Aug 27, 1995 Montreal Impact
3–1
Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 6–5–1
1996 A-League Jun 16, 1996 Montreal Impact 1–1[b] Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 6–5–2
Jul 19, 1996 Vancouver 86ers
1–4
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 7–5–2
Aug 14, 1996 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 8–5–2
Aug 21, 1996 Vancouver 86ers 1–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 8–6–2
1997 USISL A-League No matches played between Vancouver and Montreal.
1998 USISL A-League Jun 5, 1998 Vancouver 86ers 1–1[c] Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 8–6–3
1999 USL A-League No matches played between Vancouver and Montreal.
2000 USL A-League Aug 18, 2000 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver 86ers Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 9–6–3
2001 USL A-League Jul 8, 2001 Montreal Impact 0–1 Vancouver Whitecaps Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 9–7–3
2002 USL A-League Jul 17, 2002 Montreal Impact
2–1
Vancouver Whitecaps Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 10–7–3
Aug 24, 2002 Vancouver Whitecaps
0–3
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 11–7–3
2003 USL A-League May 30, 2003 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–1
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 12–7–3
Aug 6, 2003 Montreal Impact 1–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 12–7–4
2004 USL A-League Jun 11, 2004 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–3
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 13–7–4
Aug 6, 2004 Montreal Impact 0–0 (a.e.t) Vancouver Whitecaps FC Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 13–7–5
2005 USL First Division Aug 31, 2005 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 14–7–5
Sep 11, 2005 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–1
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 15–7–5
2006 USL First Division Jul 7, 2006 Montreal Impact 1–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 15–7–6
Jul 16, 2006 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–1
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 16–7–6
USL First Division Playoffs Sep 22, 2006 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 16–7–7
Sep 24, 2006 Montreal Impact 0–2 (a.e.t) Vancouver Whitecaps FC Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 16–8–7
2007 USL First Division Jun 1, 2007 Montreal Impact 0–0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard
MTL: 16–8–8
Aug 18, 2007 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–2
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 17–8–8
2008 USL First Division Apr 12, 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 17–9–8
May 19, 2008 Montreal Impact 0–0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 17–9–9
Canadian Championship Jun 17, 2008 Montreal Impact
2–0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 18–9–9
Jun 25, 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–2
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 19–9–9
USL First Division Sep 13, 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 19–19–9
USL First Division Playoffs Oct 3, 2008 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 20–10–9
Oct 5, 2008 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 20–11–9
2009 Canadian Championship May 20, 2009 Montreal Impact 0–2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 20–12–9
May 27, 2009 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 20–13–9
USL First Division Jun 7, 2009 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1–2
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 21–13–9
Jun 20, 2009 Montreal Impact
2–1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 22–13–9
Sep 4, 2009 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 23–13–9
USL First Division Finals Oct 10, 2009 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2–3
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 24–13–9
Oct 17, 2009 Montreal Impact
3–1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 25–13–9
2010 Canadian Championship May 5, 2010 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1–1 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 25–13–10
USSF D2 Pro May 15, 2010 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0–0 Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 25–13–11
Canadian Championship May 26, 2010 Montreal Impact 1–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 25–13–12
USSF D2 Pro Jun 30, 2010 Montreal Impact 1–2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 25–14–12
Jul 28, 2010 Montreal Impact 0–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium
MTL: 25–15–12
Sep 24, 2010 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
0–1
Montreal Impact Swangard Stadium
MTL: 26–15–12
  1. ^ 8/15/1993: Montreal won the penalty shootout 3–0.
  2. ^ 6/16/1996: Montreal won the penalty shootout 4–2.
  3. ^ 6/05/1998: Montreal won the penalty shootout 3–2.

MLS/NASL split

[edit]

In 2011, the Vancouver Whitecaps joined Major League Soccer while the Montreal Impact joined the newly created North American Soccer League. Because of this, they only met in that year's Canadian Championship semi-finals.

Season Competition Date Home team Result Away team Venue Series
2011 Canadian Championship Apr 27, 2011 Montreal Impact 0–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 1–0–0
May 4, 2011 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1–1 (a.e.t) Montreal Impact Empire Field VAN: 1–0–1

MLS era

[edit]

In 2012, the Montreal Impact became an MLS team where they would once again meet the Vancouver Whitecaps in league fixtures.

Season Competition Date Home team Result Away team Venue Series
2012 Major League Soccer Mar 10, 2012 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–0 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 1–0–0
2013 Canadian Championship May 15, 2013 Montreal Impact 0–0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 1–0–1
May 29, 2013 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–2 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 1–0–2
Major League Soccer Sep 21, 2013 Montreal Impact 0–3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 2–0–2
2014 Major League Soccer Jun 25, 2014 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0–0 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 2–0–3
2015 Major League Soccer Jun 3, 2015 Montreal Impact
2–1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 2–1–3
Canadian Championship Aug 12, 2015 Montreal Impact 2–2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 2–1–4
Aug 25, 2015 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–0 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 3–1–4
2016 Major League Soccer Mar 6, 2016 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2–3
Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 3–2–4
2017 Major League Soccer Apr 29, 2017 Montreal Impact 1–2 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 4–2–4
Canadian Championship May 23, 2017 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–1 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 5–2–4
May 30, 2017 Montreal Impact
4–2
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 5–3–4
2018 Major League Soccer Mar 4, 2018 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–1 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 6–3–4
Canadian Championship Jul 18, 2018 Montreal Impact
1–0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 6–4–4
Jul 25, 2018 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–0 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 7–4–4
2019 Major League Soccer Aug 28, 2019 Montreal Impact
2–1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 7–5–4
2020 Major League Soccer Aug 25, 2020 Montreal Impact
2–0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 7–6–4
Sep 13, 2020 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2–4
Montreal Impact BC Place Tied: 7–7–4
Sep 16, 2020 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3–1 Montreal Impact BC Place VAN: 8–7–4
2021 Major League Soccer May 8, 2021 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–0 CF Montréal Rio Tinto Stadium[a] VAN: 9–7–4
2022 Major League Soccer Apr 16, 2022 CF Montréal
2–1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 9–8–4
2023 Major League Soccer Apr 1, 2023 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 5–0 CF Montréal BC Place VAN: 10–8–4
Canadian Championship Jun 7, 2023 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2–1 CF Montréal BC Place VAN: 11–8–4
2024 Major League Soccer Jul 6, 2024 CF Montréal 1–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saputo Stadium VAN: 11–8–5
  1. ^ Vancouver played many of their 2021 home games at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Exhibition

[edit]
Competition Date Home team Result Away team Venue
2012 Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic Feb 24, 2012 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3–0 Montreal Impact ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Bay Lake, Florida

All time results

[edit]

As of July 6, 2024

Competition Matches Wins Draws
MTL VAN
League fixtures APSL 16 8 6 2
USL[a] 26 13 5 7
MLS 15 6 7 2
Total 56 27 18 11
Playoffs USL 6 3 2 1
Total 6 3 2 1
Canadian Championship Round robin 6 2 2 2
Knockout 10 2 5 4
Total 16 4 7 6
Competitive totals 79 34 27 18
  1. ^ Includes the 2010 USSF D2 Pro League.

Cup and post–season series results

[edit]

USL First Division Playoffs

[edit]
Season Round Advanced Score(s)
2006 Semi-finals Vancouver 2–0 on aggregate (a.e.t.)
2008 Semi-finals Vancouver 2–1 on aggregate
2009 Finals Montreal 6–3 on aggregate

Canadian Championship

[edit]
Season Round Advanced Score(s)
2011 Semi-finals Vancouver 2–1 on aggregate (a.e.t.)
2013 Final Montreal 2–2 on aggregate (away goals rule)
2015 Final Vancouver 4–2 on aggregate
2017 Semi-finals Montreal 5–4 on aggregate
2018 Semi-finals Vancouver 2–1 on aggregate
2023 Final Vancouver 2–1

Honours

[edit]
Montreal Competition Vancouver
First division
0 League championships 5
0 Regular season titles 0
5 Domestic cup titles 3
5 Aggregate 8
Second division
3 League championships 2
3 Aggregate 2
8 Total aggregate 10

Statistics

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "WhitecapsFC Daily Carl Valentine Interview". May 14, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  2. ^ Phillips, Randy (September 25, 2006). "Sebrango's strike puts Caps in the final". Vancouver Sun.
  3. ^ Eric Koreen (July 23, 2008). "Toronto FC feels the Impact; Montreal wins Canadian championship". Vancouver Sun.
  4. ^ "Impact's a double whammy: Montreal win follows nutrilite meltdown". Vancouver Sun. June 22, 2009. p. 33 (D3).
  5. ^ Fudge, Simon (March 10, 2012). "Whitecaps FC defeat Canadian arch-rivals Montreal Impact in MLS season opener". whitecapsfc.com. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "Vancouver Whitecaps win the 2023 Canadian Championship". Canada Soccer. June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
[edit]